Eads Bridge made St. Louis an engineering story

Eads Bridge is one of those St. Louis landmarks that rewards a second look. The National Park Service says it was the first bridge across the Mississippi at St. Louis, the largest bridge built at that time, the first steel bridge, and, completed in 1874, the oldest bridge still standing on the Mississippi River.

That is a lot for one crossing to carry. The City of St. Louis also treats it as a city landmark and describes several engineering firsts tied to the bridge’s construction.

Use the official sources for preservation details and current access context.

For a visitor, Eads Bridge helps explain why the riverfront is not only about the Arch. It is also about rail, steel, river trade, and a city trying to connect itself across the Mississippi. For a resident, it is a reminder that ordinary downtown infrastructure can also be national engineering history.